Digital Summit @ Mountain View: Disclosures of an Auto Conference Virgin, Part 2

Dealers Doing it Right Panel

Last week, I shared a number of key learnings from the Digital Summit @ Mountain View, from my vantage point as someone new to the auto conference circuit. As promised, here are the last 4 of my top 8 takeaways from the Summit.

5. Look at search as only working part of a bigger, holistic strategy: “It’s not just about search anymore,” according to Jonika Hoomes of Google. Don’t get me wrong, search is still important. In fact, 71% of people find it useful while shopping for cars. The point here is that it has to be combined with other tactics to really make an impact. For example, search coupled with display really hits home. Some marketers may believe that display is just a branding tool (I, working for HookLogic, surely know otherwise!). Think again!  Display + Search = Sales.

6. Dealers MUST be online. The proof is in the numbers: So many great statistics were shared during the Summit that prove what most of you already know. Either way, here’s a pat on the back and some further validation that digital dealers RULE!

• People consult an average of 18.2 sources before buying a car. For choosing a president?  Only 14.
• 90% of car buyers start their research online
• 50% of car shoppers pick their dealership online
• 76% of today’s car shoppers who visit a manufacturer’s website, visit a dealer site within 30 minutes.

7. Make everything tangible and relatable: Both Guy Kawasaki and Grant Cardone both touched on something all marketers need to remember: Use salient points. Relate what you’re saying…and selling, to things your customers understand. For example, ask a car shopper, “How much did you spend on your last vacation?” and then, “How long did that last?” in relation to the price of a car and its longevity. It really puts things into perspective.

8. Video drives engagement: Our very own Jeff Kershner held a panel discussion entitled, ‘Dealers Doing it Right’ which touched on a number of innovative tactics, such as video, that car dealers are using to drive customer engagement and sales. According to panelists, using video in email leads to much higher open and engagement rates. Panelists also mentioned that inventory that is displayed on youtube tends to sell faster than inventory that is not. It seems like video is well worth doing. Lastly, I can’t help but give a shout out to our client, Capital Motors for creating this video  to promote their Trade and Upgrade program.  I highly encourage you to check it out!

Digital Summit @ Mountain View: Disclosures of an Auto Conference Virgin, Part 1

Smiling Faces @ The Digital Summit, Mountain View

As a woman with years of professional exposure to predominantly ecommerce and retail, the auto industry – even as it pertains to digital marketing, is a bit foreign to me. When I was given the opportunity to attend the Digital Summit @ Mountain View last week, I thought to myself, “I’m going to feel like a fish out of water, but this is something I have to do if I really want to market AutoHook. I need to learn the industry,” And so, I went…

And yes, maybe I was a bit out of my element, but once I took it all in and had a few conversations with my fellow attendees I realized that we have a lot in common, and they are all marketers of the digital age just like me. Sure, they’re selling cars rather than technologies, but their challenges, experiences and thoughts within the digital realm are not so different from my own.  And these people are SAAVY.

On that note, I’d like to share the first 4 of my top 8 key learnings from the Summit which you may find quite valuable (or, entertaining at the least.  Keep in mind, I’m a newbie!):

1.       The key to a successful launch is a great story: Guy Kawasaki, the keynote speaker at the event, taught us all that if your business or dealership is embarking on something new, you must have a great story behind it in order to sell it well. For example, maybe your new showroom used to be a winery. Or maybe you’re running a big promotion in May because that’s the month you sold your first car. Play off of these interesting tidbits by giving people a tangible and relatable story to follow, and you’ll be sure to grab more attention and make more sales.

2.       Mobile. Do it:  Okay, we get it. Or do we really? Even though mobile is something that marketers in all industries are a bit sick of hearing about, we’re still just not doing it! The statistics are frightening. More than half of small/medium sized businesses still don’t have a mobile site. And, 40% of consumers have turned to a competitor’s site after a bad mobile experience. My last thought on this one was, “Thank goodness we have an app.”

3.       Don’t abuse your social network privileges: As a good rule of thumb, Guy says that whenever you’re sharing via social media, make sure your Tweet, Status, etc. provides 1. Information, 2. Insights 3. Assistance. For example, a statistic such as “90% of car buyers start their research online” is informative, while “Taking a test drive? Acquaint yourself with the vehicle before starting the engine.” provides assistance. Just because you have the power to reach your audience as many times a day as you want, you shouldn’t feel like you have to.

4.       Lead to Show is a crowd pleaser: As someone who only learned about the Lead to Show product suite from an internal vantage point, it was refreshing to confirm my strong affirmation that our technology drives real, strong and significant results for dealers. When speaking with me during the main day of the conference, one client asked his partner, “How many cars did we sell through HookLogic last month?” His counterpart responded, “About 20% more than we would have without.” And that kind of thing was heard multiple times throughout my visit.

Look out next week for part 2. I’ll share some key stats and insights from my “virgin vantage point.”

Video Highlights of David Metter's Automotive ZMOT Panel at DD12

ZMOT ZMOT ZMOT. It seems to be all that we are talking about these days. If you are in e-commerce and/or automotive, it is hard to escape this new term that was introduced this past year by Shopper Sciences as part of Google's quantitative review of decision making behavior across shopping, services, and voting.

Although the term ZMOT, which stands for Zero Moment of Truth, might be new, the concept is far from new. The zero moment of truth for a shopper refers to "all the research consumers do online before making their purchase." Source: TechWyse.com.

In today's language, ZMOT pretty much occurs online during a shopper's quest to better understand product and availability. Product of course if mandated by the OEM but availability is primarily determined by the dealerships.

The automotive zero moment of truth for an auto shopper often begins with a search engine and ends either on a dealer's website or in the showroom.

By "end" I mean that the shopper comes to a conscious decision as to which product she is going to buy and from which dealer she will buy from.

From this point, FMOT enters the scene, which stands for First Moment of Truth. In a new car owner's  first moment of truth, the customer is on her honeymoon with her purchase and is more likely now to share her joy with friends as opposed to several weeks later. Thus, dealers today must consider their role not only in ZMOT but also in FMOT.

In a recent interview with Mike Esposito from Auto/Mate Systems, Mike summed it up perfectly by stating, "We used to talk about 'ups' and 'be backs'. Now you hear about ZMOT, and SEO, and digital marketing. The whole language has changed. The dealer that doesn’t come up to speed on these things is going to be left behind.”

In the video below, HookLogic President of Automotive David Metter moderates a panel on Automotive ZMOT and FMOT at DD12 with panelists Shaun Kniffin from Germain Motorcars, Andrew DiFeo from Hyundai of St. Augustine, Tom White Jr. from Suzui of Wichita, and David Kain from Kain Automotive.

The premise of the panel revolves around the debate of whether or not dealers are responsible for stimulus advertising which again is where a shopper's ZMOT will occur. As you will see, some dealers must generate their own stimulus while others do not, but the overlying business problem facing all auto dealerships is how they address ZMOT and how they address FMOT.

The original panel was pretty much an hour long. This video is all but three minutes so clearly only a very limited amount of what was discussed made it into this video. The pieces that did make tell a simple story that we hope all dealers can use to their benefit.

Take a look and feel free to respond with your thoughts by leaving a comment on this post.  You are welcome to share this post and/or video with others on your own blog or in social media. If you do please let us know where you are sharing it so that we can chime in to people's responses.

To learn more about how your dealership can take its customers from ZMOT to FMOT using HookLogic's AutoHook Suite of Products, visit our website for a free demo or to read some of the success stories that our own customers have shared.

Video: HookLogic and Friends at DD12 Orlando

HookLogic at DD12 Orlando

Here is our video on YouTube from the 12th Digital Dealer Conference at Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida in April 2012. You will see it introduces members of our sales team that were there including Vicki O'Neill with the Great Lakes Region, Clarence Romero with the Northeast Region, Shawn Maiorino with the Southeast Region, and Jeff Kershner, National Sales Director.

Auto event diva April Rain of Digital Rain Management leads the way in this one with interviews from new kids on the scene to "heavy hitters" like Mark Boyd and Jesse Biter who landed a spotlight scene with a big plug for the Dealers United deal with KPA.

Clarence was a big help in our NADA 2012 video and he came through again at DD12 on an interview with Devon Sciortino from Thornton Chevrolet mentioning AutoHook.

Ben Anderson from AutoMotion TV also has a segment in here. Ben conducted an extensive interview with us at DD12 with George Peters from McGeorge Toyota in Richmond, VA. A piece of it is in this video.

PR maven Sara Callahan conducted a 2-question interview with Auto/Mate President Mike Esposito, a portion of which can be found in the video.

Another segment is from an excerpt of the David Metter DD12 Automotive ZMOT Panel Video where Andrew DiFeo and Tom White Jr. have two contrasting realities concerning stimulus advertising.

Also appearing in the video is Layton Judd from 3 Birds Marketing. Phil Penton from SocialDealer. Jeff Clark and Ali Amirrezvani from DealerOn.

Last but not least you will see clips from the ActivEngage, Haystack, HookLogic party at the Blue Martini Lounge.

Enjoy and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like the video, share it and all that jazz. Thanks.

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Come Party with ActivEngage and HookLogic at Digital Dealer 12 Orlando

HookLogic-ActivEngage DD12 Party

If you will be in town for the 12th Digital Dealer Conference and Exposition in Orlando, FL, join ActivEngage and HookLogic on Wednesday, April 4, at the Blue Martini Lounge as we co-host a blowout bash for clients, VIPs and friends. Every year during the spring Digital Dealer Conference, ActivEngage throws the best party in Orlando! Walk the redorange carpet feeling like a real movie star as you and guests enter this year’s most anticipated Digital Dealer extravaganza.

From 8:30 till 11:00 PM, the celebration will feature complementary beverages and the best blend of 80’s, 90’s, and today’s top hits performed by live entertainment that will surely have you on the dance floor all night! Don’t care to dance? No worries! Bump elbows and network with industry peers as well as meet the brains and faces behind ActivEngage’s excellence.

As tradition, the Customer Appreciation party will be hosted at Central Florida’s finest upscale lounge and live entertainment bar, Blue Martini. Blue Martini is undeniably the top spot for both locals and visitors from all around, delivering you an unforgettable experience.

Why ActivEngage and HookLogic?

ActivEngage and HookLogic have recently announced a strategic relationship to deliver the industry’s most advanced and effective lead generation technology. ActivEngage is the most trusted brand in automotive live chat. With over 75 years of automotive retail experience, ActivEngage proprietary chat software, fully-managed service and real-time business intelligence reporting is expertly designed to maximize the amount of leads delivered from websites while reducing the overall cost of lead generation for dealerships

RSVP

Make sure to RSVP to the event to guarantee a spot to this year most anticipated social celebration by clicking the red stamp link to your right.

David Metter Talking ZMOT to Showroom at March Innovative Dealer Summit

Innovative Dealer Summit Logo

The Innovative Dealer Summit has become the definitive management education forum for dealer principals and senior dealer managers and addresses the most pressing sales, profitability, technology, best practices, social media and other emerging issues in dealership operations today. It is one of the most timely and important leadership functions you can attend this year. Dealer principals/owners, general managers, senior dealership managers and directors, Internet sales managers, business development managers, F&I managers, key dealership leaders, sales leadership, advertising and marketing consultants, controllers and key decision makers alike will all benefit from attending.

The best and brightest in their fields of expertise have competed to present in Denver. All of the industry's top speakers are brought to you. Make the most of your time and learn about the newest innovations in the industry all in one place. Things you will learn include:

• Increase service and parts profit
• Reduce operational costs
• Enhance dealer brand reputation
• Improve bottom line
• Improve customer satisfaction and engagement
• Maximize customer relations management
• Gain market share

David Metter

Breakout Session

HookLogic's very own David Metter, President of Automotive, will be heading a breakout session on Wednesday at 11am MST titled, Taking the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) to the Showroom Moment of Truth. In this session, Metter will demonstrate how reward incentives such as gift cards can be used to effectively qualify auto shoppers on your website and elsewhere on the web and bring them into your dealership showroom, improving that elusive lead-to-show ratio and ultimately increasing the number of incremental sales at your dealership.

Summit Details

When: Wed March 21 & Thursday March 22

Where: Colorado Convention Center (Denver)

Visit the IDS website for a complete list of all topics and presenters or to view the agenda. Registration is $395 per person and you can register directly on the Summit website.

It's February 7, 2012...Now What?

It’s February 7, 2012…Now what?

Imagine it’s the day after NADA…the flurry of NADA activities, meetings, demo’s, and appreciation events are now behind you. All the planning before-hand has left you overwhelmed with action items. As you sit at your desk, you pull up your conference notes and after a quick glance say to yourself, “Where do I begin?”.

If you’re like me, the reasons you attend a conference is to learn, connect and apply. And, how do you organize all those presentation notes, business cards, marketing brochures, meeting notes and follow up action items? In follow-up to an article I read that Eric Miltsch posted on DrivingSales, I started thinking about “after” NADA. As you plan and schedule now, keep these three things in mind for AFTER:

As I sit at my desk AFTER NADA:

1) Create a summary of key learnings (all those highlights and notes you made) to forward to your leadership team (if they were there, keep it for yourself). This will serve as your working document and easy to decipher notes for use in strategy. If you had to write it now, what would you include?

2) With your goals outlined from "Before NADA" (which should align with the dealership strategy), list two action items for each of those listed in "before".

3) Expand on each with "how" each will be accomplished.

NOTE: Keep these three things in mind as you attend each event which will help organize actions into buckets along the way making the "after" easier "now".

An example check list to consider:

3 "must visit" companies:

1) Company A will help accomplish X 2) Company B will help facilitate X 3) Company C is new and I want to learn X so I can do X (personal development)

3 "must connect with" peeps and why each is important:

1) Peep #1 2) Peep #2 3) Peep #3

3 impacts I want to make in my dealership/s when I return:

1) Impact #1 (immediate application, high impact effecting goal X) 2) Impact #2 (<short term> action item, high impact effecting goal X) 3) Impact #3 (<long term> action item, high impact effecting goal X)

"Lead the Way" when you return and  have a short, concise action plan detailing 2-3 deliverables for each goal, get the right people at your dealership on board (buy-in, involved), set realistic deadlines and ensure follow-up with each new connection.

Close the loop on your conference experience.

Check out this article where Todd Smith of ActivEngage is mentioned with his 2012 marketing trends that will have the biggest impact. How do your goals relate to these top 3?

HookLogic to Discuss the Lead to Show Process at Digital Dealer Workshop in January

logo-digital-dealer-workshops

Are you ready to start 2012 with a competitive online game plan? The Digital Dealer Workshops are bringing you everything you need to succeed online, and HookLogic will be there presenting as well talking about converting Internet leads into showroom traffic. Two distinctively different tracks will be offered and are customized to your level of experience:

1. The dealer who feels behind on his or her e-commerce education.
2. The dealer who is prepared but wants to excel.

Topics range from social media to website analytics and maximizing your CRM to converting leads.

The workshops have been carefully crafted to give you the essential information to grow your business. Digital Dealer understands how critical education is to your success so they are bringing the best information to you.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Dealers, GMs, GSMs, Internet Sales Managers, e-Commerce Directors, CRM Managers, BDC Managers and Fixed Operations Managers Dealers, bring your managers. Managers, bring your dealers.

FOUR WORKSHOP TRACKS

Track 1: 360 Degrees of Automotive e-Commerce

This track is designed for dealers that know they "don’t get it" but understand the importance of it. This classroom style workshop will run the entire day with four consecutive workshops that will take you through the fundamentals of digital marketing and online sales. This workshop will have you leaving with the confidence to approach your Internet strategies.

Tracks 2-4: Intermediate to advanced education

Attendees can choose any workshops within these tracks as desired throughout the day.

Track 2: Social Media and New Technologies Track 3: Sales, Process and Fixed Operations Track 4: Websites, Marketing and Analytics

At the one day Digital Dealer Workshop you will learn essential information for online success, including:

• Maximizing online sales
• Improving online marketing
• Developing strategies for SEM and SEO
• Maximizing your social media and reputation management
• Creating e-commerce strategies
• Maximizing brand recognition
• Improving sales processes
• Demonstrations on emerging technologies
• Gaining market share
• Reducing costs and increasing gross profit
• Maximizing other profit centers

WHEN?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 8:00am - 6:00pm. Workshops begin at 10:00am.

WHERE?

Hilton Houston Post Oak in Houston, Texas, less than one mile from the Galleria area.

About HookLogic's Session

It’s all about the Show, Baby!

David Metter is on the session ticket to talk about the evolution of Internet lead management that has lead dealers to understand that their main focus has to be on driving quality customers from their leads into the showroom floor. This is an ongoing conversation Metter and HookLogic are having with dealers across the country that offers data-driven insight into what works today.

Other sessions include:

Mobile Marketing and the Dealer with Ben Anderson; Using Auto Shopper Data to Learn More about Every Lead with Jason Ezell Practices to Improve Customer Retention with Bill Wittenmyer 7 Online Strategies to Double Your Fixed Ops Profit in 2012 with Jeff Clark LIVE Mystery Phone Shop with Jerry Thibeau 7 Secrets To Internet Marketing with Larry Bruce Connecting with Customers in Every Moment of Truth with Ed Parkin The Future of Digital Finance with Pete MacInnis How Search Has Radically Changed The Way Consumers Shop For Cars with Julio Gonzalez Social Media: The most important things you need to know today with TBD

REGISTRATION

Register early to take advantage of early bird pricing. Early registration cutoff is December 31.

Click here to visit the Digital Dealer Workshops website for registration information.

Twitter hashtag: #DDW